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CSB and the Ex Factor

Feb 1, 2009

As CSB Commodities celebrates its 35th anniversary, it is also applauding a whole new line of unique products based on its groundbreaking, "The Ex," a knife holder in the shape of a human form. It was designed for CSB by Raffaele Iannello and introduced in 2007.

Bob Schmeizer, company president, acknowledges that The Ex was inspired by his son, Scott's, own divorce. Scott is also a CSB principal. The original Ex has now spawned a long line of Ex products, and more are due, according to Bob Schmeizer, who also notes that the original continues to rack up sales gains and high profile publicity.

Working exclusively with CSB, Iannello created, "The 5 Finger Fillet." This is also a knife holder. A hand, fingers extended, rests on top of a beef fillet, and the knives slide into slots between the fingers to resemble a knife thrower's art. "There are two versions," Schmeizer says. "One is about 10 inches high and holds steak knives. The other is about eight inches high and is a pen holder, designed for the office or desk. It also contains a magnetic base to hold paper clips." There is also a food tray, based on the Ex concept. It comes equipped with stainless steel daggers, which serve as toothpicks, piercing the tray figure.

Like the Ex, these line extensions are offered in a choice of colors. The most popular are red, black and chrome. "The tray colors haven't been finalized yet," Schmeizer adds, and says, "the colors may be softer." He says wholesale prices will be in the $40 range, similarly priced to the Ex, which has a suggested retail of $69.99.

Iannello has also designed the XXX Kitchen Collection, a line of seven kitchen utensils in shapes based on selected body forms. Schmeizer describes this as a, "contemporary art form," collection. The line includes storage jars, a squeezer, pepper mill, paper towel holder, dish brush, pot holder and salt and pepper set. They come in a choice of pink or blue and can be sold individually or as a set.

Suggested retail prices range from $19.99 to $29.99, depending on the item. "The wholesale cost will be half of retail," Schmeizer says. The current Exs and XXX are not the end of the line for the Iannello/CSB collaboration. Another Ex will make its debut in March, Bob Schmeizer promises.

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